If you find reading the Bible difficult or dull, have poor eyesight, or want to make the most of your morning commute, try listening to it! Find the audio version of your favourite translation and search for a narrator you like. There are countless free options as well some paid options that come with extra perks, such as Morgan Freeman narrating. Simply press play and absorb the words of this unique and special book while you drive, clean, or meditate.

Decide which version of the Bible you want to listen to. The Bible was written in the ancient languages of Greek and Hebrew, then translated into many other languages. Different theologians have interpreted the original words differently, giving slightly different translations.[1]

If you want a modern translation that is easy to read, try the Message Bible. If you want something more traditional, try the New King James (NKJV).

If you already own a Bible that you like, check the spine to see what version it is.

If you are part of the Catholic or Orthodox tradition you may find it helpful to buy a specific translation for your denomination as these have extra books included in them.

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Listen to snippets of the audio Bible to help you decide which one to buy. Each audio Bible will have a different narrator. Search online for snippets of the narrator reading the Bible to help you decide if you like their voice. In order to get an audio Bible narrated by a well-known voice, you will normally need to pay for it. For example, you can purchase an audio Bible read by the soothing voice of Morgan Freeman.[2]

If you are buying the audiobook from a bookstore, ask the retail assistant to play you a few chapters so that you can hear the voice of the narrator.

Decide what format you want the audio Bible to be in. If you plan to listen to the audio Bible in your CD player in your car, buying it in CD format might be the most useful option. If you want to listen to it on your smartphone, computer, or mp3 player, you will want to purchase the mp3 files online.[3]

Purchase audio Bible CDs from a Christian bookstore or online.

If you buy a CD you will need to rip the audio files onto a computer in order to listen to it when there is no CD player available.

Search online for free audio Bibles if you don't want to pay. If you are looking for a specific version of the Bible, make sure you specify what translation you want. For example, you could search for “free NIV audio Bible.” Multiple options should appear in your search engine.[4]

Try out a few of the different options as they will be read by different people. Find the voice that you find the most pleasant to listen to.

Find a quiet place to listen to the Bible. It will be much easier to listen to the Bible if there is no background noise and distractions are limited. Choose a place that is quiet and comfortable where you won’t be disturbed.[5]

If you feel closer to God in nature, try to find a quiet and picturesque spot outside.

Light candles or turn down the lights to create a calm and spiritual atmosphere.

You don't necessarily have to stop everything you're doing. You can easily listen to your audio Bible while you're cleaning, cooking, or commuting.

Pray that God would reveal wisdom to you through the Bible. Spend a few moments in prayer before you start listening to the Bible. This will help prepare you to receive the words of wisdom. Ask God to help you to receive guidance, truth, and nourishment from the words that you are about to listen to.[6]

If you don’t know what to pray, consider purchasing a prayer book or search for prayers online.

Choose a book in the Bible to listen to. There are 66 books in the Bible. Choose one that you are interested in and press play. You will notice that within each book there are many chapters and verses. Try not to get too overwhelmed with all the numbers! The chapters break each book into sections, and verses break the chapters into smaller sections. This allows you to reference specific passages from each book.[7]

Keep a note of where you get up to in the book so that, next time, you can start from where you left off.

If you want to listen to the stories of Jesus, start with the book of Matthew. If you want to listen to snippets of wisdom, listen to Proverbs. If you feel like listening to heartfelt poems, try Psalms.

Some books are quite long, so you may find it easier to take in if you just listen to a portion of the book at a time.

Press play on your audio Bible and experience the Bible in a new way. For thousands of years, the Bible was only learnt by listening to it. Listening to the Bible is a great way to engage with its content, especially if you are an auditory learner or find reading hard. Either press play on your CD or click on the relevant mp3 file to start listening.[8]

If you find a chapter particularly meaningful, play it a few times. This will help you to absorb the information more thoroughly.

Take notes on what you're listening to if you want to look back on it later. Keep a pen and journal on hand so that you can take notes. When you hear something that is meaningful to you, pause the audio Bible and note down what you learnt and how it made you feel. Consider how the passages of scripture could be applied to your life and write down how you might act accordingly.[9]

If something stands out to you, consider rereading the verse in a written bible or looking up additional information about it online. This will help you to find greater meaning in the passage.